“Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag The Musical”

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“Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag The Musical”, based on the Edgardo Reyes timeless novel and inspired by National Artist for Film Lino Brocka’s classic film adaptation will be this coming September and October with surprised revelatons. 

“Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng Liwanag The Musical” is about love that will go the distance, both literally and figuratively. It is also about the loss of innocence and why in a dark, downtrodden jungle that is the big city, pure love is not given room to grow and thrive. It is set to soaring music and meticulously-choreographed dance. 

Recently, Grand Leisure Corporation proudly reveals the lead cast of the much-awaited “Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag The Musical.” 

World class performers Arman Ferrer will be playing Julio Madiaga while Shiela Valderrama-Martinez and Lara Maigue will be alternating as Ligaya Paraiso. 

Arman Ferrer

Lara Maigue

Shiela Valderrama-Martinez 

Bringing it to life on stage are Joel Lamangan (Director), Von de Guzman (Musical Director), Jose Victor Torres and Em Mendez (Libretto), Joey Nombres (Lights Designer), Douglas Nierras (Choreographer) and Jun Flavier Pablo (Production Design). Fullhouse Asia Productions, Inc. serves as line producer. 

Last seen as Emilio Aguinaldo in Nicanor Tiongson's critically acclaimed Steampunk Musical "Mabining Mandirigma" which won him the PHILSTAGE GAWAD BUHAY 2015 award for Best Featured Male in a Musical, Ferrer is a classical singer, a musical theater actor, and a choral conductor. He has played lead roles with Tanghalang Pilipino, Tanghalang Ateneo, and Dulaang UP. 

The resume doesn’t stop there. Ferrer has been a featured soloist of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and The ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also worked with the top conductors in the country such as Gerard Salonga, Josefino Chino Toledo, Jonathan Velasco, Eudenice Palaruan, Mark Anthony Carpio and Herminigildo Ranera. 

Clinching the coveted role of Julio, says Ferrer, wasn’t a walk in the park. “It wasn’t an easy audition,” he recalls. “There was an intense dancing piece that we had to learn the same day and I must admit that dancing isn’t my forte.” 

Ferrer knows that Julio Madiaga, the rural hero of “Maynila” who goes to the big city to find his beloved Ligaya Paraiso is not just any other role. "There is always excitement when you are asked to play a lead role. It's always fun but there is also a big responsibility attached to it. Every time I play the lead role I make sure that I play it sincerely. I cannot allow my portrayal to be shallow and pedestrian. So I study the character as much I can in order for me to portray him as close to the truth as possible."

Ligaya Paraiso is decidedly a tragic character, a young woman lured to find a better life in Manila only to end up mired in the oldest profession in the world. Shiela Valderrama-Martinez brings her vast theater experience to the role. “Every role is a challenge. It is such an honor to play a part that was portrayed by the great Hilda Koronel in the movie adaptation.”

In a career that spans 25 years and counting, Valderrama-Martinez has won citations as Best Actress in a Musical and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and Best New Female Recording Artist in the prestigious Awit Awards. 

She has just finished doing “50 Shades The Musical Parody,” and reprised the role of Kapitana Mary Jane in the 2016 rerun of the Filipino hit musical "RAK of Aegis" where she was nominated Best Actress in a Featured Role in the 2016 Gawad Buhay Awards. 

Young soprano Lara Maigue also writes songs and has been in different parts of the world doing solo cultural concerts. A graduate of the UP College of Music, Maigue has appeared on television as one of the lead stars of TV5’s musical serye “Trenderas.” 

Ligaya Paraiso, shares Maigue, is her “most mature role” to date. “I would always play the little girl in operas and an ingenue on TV so ‘Maynila’ heralds that it is time to sort of grow up in the roles that I take on.” 

Tapped to play the other important characters in the musical are Floyd Tena (Pol), Noel Rayos (Atong), Rafa Seguion-Reyna and Joseph Puducay (Imo), Aicelle Santos and Rita Daniela (Perla), Jim Pebanco/ Joseph Billezar (Mr. Balajadia), Khalil Kaimo (Gido), Jeffrey Camanag (Omeng), Romcel Binquis (Benny), Randy Rey (Frank), and Dulce and Ima Castro alternating as Mrs. Cruz. 

“Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag The Musical” performances are slated on September 30, 3:00pm and 8:00pm (Gala), October 1,2017 3:00pm and 8:00 pm October 4,2017 8:00pm, October 5,2017 8:00 pm, October 6, 2017 3:00pm and 8:00 pm 

The beneficiary of the musical is Gantimpala Theater Foundation, the company that spearheaded the National Artist Production Series in which short stories and plays written by National Artists for Literature and Theater are produced for the stage for people to enjoy and appreciate the artistic contributions and legacies of these Filipino literary and theater legends.

For ticket inquiries, contact Ms. Bards Lapid at mobile number -09178466704, landlines 897 7142. 890 0853, 890606 or Ticketnet -9115555.

Paolo Onesa Films Music Video for “Atin Ang Gabi” in Coron

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After reinventing and extending his musical genre, The Voice of the Philippines season 1 alumnus Paolo Onesa continues to push himself with a new music video for his single “Atin Ang Gabi.”

A month after teasing his new song, the 23-year-old singer has just wrapped up the music video, which was shot in Coron, Palawan.

“We shot our video in three different locations in Coron, including Sophia’s Garden Resort – a boutique Spanish-inspired with a serene vibe hotel and resort and takes pride in being the one with the more prominent gardens, in the majestic Kayangan Lake – adjudged as the cleanest and greenest lake in entire Asia and in Banol Beach- known for bright aquamarine and turquoise waters,” Paolo shared.

Paolo admitted that shooting a music video always has the hardest and coolest part. ‘Well first of, we shot all the scenes of the entire video in just one day. So I guess, that was the most challenging thing. Luckily, I had such an awesome team with me all throughout the shoot. Everyone involved was just really working hard and really focused in making this video the best work we could do. And by saying that, we also had so much fun in doing so,” he admitted.

When asked to explain what the song is all about, Paolo remarks proudly, “Atin Ang Gabi’ is a song about spending sweet moments with the one you love. It's sort of like a love letter for someone. It's a song about being a gentleman for the lady you love and making her feel special through those little things that we take for granted.”

“The most memorable experience yet, is that I got the chance to shoot in Coron. Need I say more? That was the best experience ever! Talk about work and play all at the same time! Just being in Coron, looking at the sites, at the mountains, spending time on the beach, pool and there was even a nighttime bonfire in Sophia’s Garden where we stayed. I just feel overall blessed and grateful for my whole experience and stay in Coron, Palawan,” he delightfully shared.

Asked about the inspiration behind the music video of “Atin Ang Gabi”, Paolo said the inspiration was to get that tropical or island feel for the video. “Mainly I wrote the lyrics of this song talking about spending moments on the‘dalampasigan’ (ocean shore). And one of the main aims also is to really; I just want the people watching this to be part of like a journey of me exploring and promoting of how beautiful the island of Coron is.”

“Atin Ang Gabi” is the only tagalog song from my sophomore album and it's one of my favorites. This song took me the longest to write and produce because I really want it to be something special for the people who support me, my followers, family and friends,” Paolo reflected.

“I had heard so much about Coron,” said Paolo. “Now I know, Coron is a magnificent local destination with pristine beaches and magnificent attractions. The warmth and hospitality of the people made me feel special I actually did feel I was on vacation.”

He revealed his fan base could expect something really fresh and new from all the other videos that he has done. “ This is an expression or extension of my artistry shown here in the music video. This just the beginning of many more original music videos that I'll be putting out for my fans,” he proclaimed.

Paolo’s latest album Handwritten is all-original and was released in November 2016. Best known for his pop jazz tracks from his debut album Pop Goes Standards released in 2014, Paolo had been recognized at the 2015 Awit Awards when he earned the Best Performance by A Male Recording Artist and Best Performance by A New Male Recording Artist, both for his version of the song "Lucky In Love."

“Atin Ang Gabi” the official music video is expected to premiere on MYX this August. Be the one to see it first!

Handwritten is now available on physical format on all Astroplus / AstroVision record bars nationwide and can be downloaded / streamed on ITunes, Spotify, Deezer and all digital music platforms worldwide, distributed under HomeworkZ Music.

For more updates on Paolo Onesa you may follow his social media accounts:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pao loonesa or his artist page, www.facebook.com/paoloon esaPH, Twitter: @onesapaolo, Instagram: @paoloonesa and on YouTube www.youtube.com/onesap aolo.

New Day, New Hana Soft & Smooth Shampoo with Marian Rivera

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Hana Shampoo with the brand ambassador Marian Rivera has launched the new packaging and with its relaunched line of Soft and Smooth variants available in three wonderful fragrances -- Pink Roses and Berries, Spring Flowers and Apples, and Garden Blooms and Lychees.

Marian Rivera 

Marian Rivera with Hana Philippines Executives

New Hana Soft & Smooth Shampoo delivers just that even after a long and eventful day. With natural moisturizers and fresh new fragrances, Hana is able to keep one’s hair looking and smelling like it’s freshly washed all day – parang bagong shampoo – which is an ideal every Filipina wishes for as they go through their day. With such effortlessly manageable and fragrant hair, even in the midst of a busy day, you can still look and feel your best no matter the situation.

In just a day, a number of different things can happen, whether it’s things like the weather and traffic, or to things we’re able to control like one’s plans and one’s appearance. There’s one thing though we Filipinas wish could have full control of –- and that’s soft and fragrant hair, all day, everyday.

Figuratively a new day has come as well for Hana Shampoo, with its relaunched line of Soft and Smooth variants available in three wonderful fragrances -- Pink Roses and Berries, Spring Flowers and Apples, and Garden Blooms and Lychees. Hana combines the alluring fragrance of flowers and the freshness of fruits in each of those variants, guaranteed to provide long-lasting fragrance on hair all day. Moreover, each bottle now comes with artistically rendered designs meant to visualize the wonderful nature-inspired fragrance notes one can enjoy upon each use of Hana shampoo.

The new Hana Shampoo TV commercial features the always beautiful Marian Rivera, who has bloomed even more as a wife and mother. In the commercial, she turns heads as she walks the streets from daytime to evening. Just like all other Filipinas, everyday she is exposed to the sun, heat and pollution but with her soft, fragrant and lovely hair, passers-by can’t help themselves but be drawn to her effortless beauty and hair that’s parang bagong shampoo always.

DTI order to bloat cement prices, put construction industry in jeopardy

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With its imposition of a burdensome requirements on pure importers of cement , the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is in a collision course with President Rodrigo Duterte, who vowed to reduce bureaucratic red tape to ease the process of doing business in the country. 

Making matters worse, the DTI imposition will jeopardize the massive infrastructure projects under the Duterte administration's Build, Build, Build program through high construction cost by bringing prices of cement to stratospheric heights. 

The President made the vow in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25, 2016 and repeated it in his second SONA on Monday, July 24, 2017. 

"A year ago, I also warned government officials and employees that I will never tolerate corruption in my administration, not even a whiff of it. Let the dismissal of several high-ranking officials — whom I myself appointed — serve as a warning to all that I will never back down on my commitment to cleanse this government," Duterte said in his second SONA to the applausse of the audience. 

Duterte is aware that corruption is still happening. "Since we launched this hotline (8888), we have received numerous complaints from the public on government… slow government processing and clearance, of changing procedures and requirements, centralized issuance of clearances and permits in Metro Manila, and discourteous government employees, among others," Duterte said in his second SONA. 

Also, speaking before an investment forum in Davao City recently, he said: “I would like to destroy government itself.... If I had my way, I would reinvent (it). We can have less powers but more efficient organization...If there’s an ideal setup that we can follow, I’d be glad to put in place something of a bureaucratic authority that would move by itself automatically...” 

The President also bared plans to summon officials facing complaints from the public. If proven they have committed irregularities, Duterte said, he would ask them to resign or else he would fire them. He said he was ready to give them another chance but they have to “kneel down” before the public and vow to improve their service. 

In an earlier speech, Duterte had said: 

"The fight (against corruption) will be relentless and it will be sustained... I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to remove redundant requirements and compliance with one department or agency shall be accepted as sufficient for all...(They should) refrain from changing and bending rules, government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation... Changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong.” 

But according to industry sources, those in the DTI have turned a deaf ear to the President's resolve to cut red tape in government as they have issued an order that imposes an additional burden on small cement importers. This, it is feared, could only lead to the emergence of a cartel composed of giant cement manufacturers-importers who reportedly want to bring back cement prices to the P300 per bag level in 2015 from its present price of about P197 per bag. 

While requesting anonymity, industry sources have welcomed the filing of a graft and corruption complaint against a DTI undersecretary before the Office of the Ombudsman for the official’s role in having the DTI’s Bureau of Philippines Standards issue Department Administrative Order (DAO) 17-02/05. At the same time, the source said that a separate case is being prepared against another DTI official for approving the highly controversial order without going through proper public consultation. He also claims that the rush to cure the flawed order is being kept under wraps by the DTI. 

The controversial DAO requires importers to secure an Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) on top of the 'PS' or Philippine Standard mark for imported cement. The DAO, however, exempts from the ICC requirement the big cement manufacturers operating integrated cement plants in the country but also importing cement. 

Several reasons have been cited why the DAO 17-02 and subsequent DAOs should be suspended or totally revoked. 

"The DTI order creates an environment which could threaten the stability of the cement prices in the market as the DAO 17-02/05 is a surefire formula for prices to spike uncontrollably and for supply to be manipulated,” said a source in the construction sector. 

The source pointed out that in 2014, the cement price was around P300; when importers entered the picture, the price immediately fell to around P217; currently, the price hovers at around P197. 

This, the insider said, "offers solid proof that open competition augurs well for the public." 

“If DAO 17-02/05 was intended to protect the public by ensuring the quality of the imported cement, the industry group wondered why both manufacturers-importers and small importers get their cement from the same plant abroad: So how could there be any difference in quality?” he asked. 

“At the same time, if quality is the issue as announced by the DTI official recently in defending the order, why are the big manufacturers-importers trying to negotiate with cement plants abroad so they can exclusively sell cement in the Philippine market, thus removing the pure importers from the equation?” he added. 

The DTI order could actually set back the implementation of the Build, Build, Build infrastructure development program of the Duterte administration as cement supply from local manufacturers may not be sufficient to meet the expected big demand for the commodity, the industry source said. 

The insider lamented that the DTI "wittingly or unwittingly strengthens the stranglehold by a few giant cement manufacturers-importers that have been acting as a de facto cartel to dictate cement prices in the domestic market." 

Prior to the implementation of DAO 17-02, the release of covered imported cement was allowed by mere presentation of the PS mark. An ICC was not required, whether the cement importer operated or did not operate an integrated cement plant in the country. 

The DTI order, the source added, is "arbitrary and capricious as this was issued without any proper public consultation." 

Moreover, the insider said that if this DAO is implemented, "the highly ambitious P9 trillion Build, Build, Build infrastructure program will be the first to feel the impact with skyrocketing cement prices and manipulated supply. At the same time, the public is expected to bear the brunt of such protectionist move." 

As this develops, the construction sector is starting to express unease over the order as such move will surely escalate prices and will throw their signed contracts in disarray.

5 Awesome Ways to Level Up Your Selfie Game

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We know you can’t resist the urge to know

Snap. Edit. Post!

Admit it- YOU love taking selfies! Whether it was your morning OOTD or a snap of your KOTD, taking selfies is now an essential to your everyday lifestyle. Are we on fleek? 

Unfortunately, the struggle is real sometimes in getting that awesome selfie. Whatever the reason, bad selfies are unacceptable and a no-no, #sorrynotsorry especially if you want your crush to like it! In order to save you from social depriving self-esteem, we've come up with essential selfie tricks that you should know and practice so that you can be on your way to awesome selfies!

Voila!

• Do a Background Check

When you take a selfie, people won’t just see your face but even your background so if you have a mountain of used clothes or unmade bed at your back, behold…judgmental comments are coming! Selfies during travels are a different story though because photobombers are inevitable but at least make sure they don’t cover the view or be an extrovert and just invite them for a groufie!

• Follow the Light

Take this advice literally. Swear. Literally. Find a light brighter than your best friend’s personality and let it highlight your pretty face! Go out, walk towards the window, or if you can’t follow the light, say “Let there be light” and just open the lampshade nearest you!  

• Work Your Angles

Be honest, we all know by now you have taken thousands of selfies and should have somehow identified which is your best angle. (Well just in case you haven’t, just check your profile and check which one had the most likes!) You may have the most perfect eyes, nose, cheekbones, lips, chin, and so on and so forth, but projection beats perfection any day. So snap, snap, snap, and work it, girl!

• Take Shotsssss

Yes, that’s plural because we really mean A LOT. There’s nothing wrong with having options, right? Especially if you feel that 1 like from your crush = one percent higher at chance meter. So do it, create shots that vary in angle, lighting, or background (or even outfit!) In case you will have a difficult time choosing, what are best friends for?

• Grab the Awesome Companion

After it has all been said and done, what is projection, perfection without an awesome companion? Let’s face reality, the clearer the selfies, the higher the likes. Right? Tips 1 to 4 can get 200 likes but with tip #5, expect double (as long as you also followed the first 4.) Ready to have awesome selfies that are more on fleek than your eyebrow? #nofilter and #uploadready? 

Meet your awesome selfie companion…Cloudfone Excite Prime 2 PRO, a selfie-centric 20-Megapixel Front Camera that with Sony IMX376 Sensor that was co-engineered with Sony and comes with Portrait Mode (Bokeh Effect) (#BackgroundCheck), Rear and Front Light (#FollowtheLight), Face Beauty (#WorkYourAngle), Superpixel, 13MP + 8MP Dual Rear Camera with Optical Zoom. All these awesome camera specs in awesome phone aesthetics. Now say goodbye to the struggle and face the day with confidence as you become selfie ready! Coming soon…

For more details visit www.cloudfone.com.ph